Do Cruise Passengers Need Tourist/Transit Visas?

Comments

Hello David,My wife and I both have a valid work visa in USA. We are Indian citizens working in USA. We are planning for a cruise to Cayman Islands (UK Terriroty). When I checked VisaHQ.com website, it says we do not need visa for cruise (for 1 day stay).Do you think, we still need to take UK visa for 1 day cruise visa?Please advice,Thank you

Hi,My partner holds a Thai Passport, lives in spain with a 10 year residence permit. We want to take a cruise that calls into morroco. does he need a nisa for this or are we blanket covered by the cruise line ?ThanksPaul

Hi my friend and I want to take a caribbean cruise. She does not hold a US visa.I am an US citizen. The cruise is closed loop originating in Barbados.However two ports of call are US territories St.Thomas and San Juan. Would she require a US visa, even if she does not get off te ship in those ports.It is a seven day caribbean cruise. Thank you.

Hi Paul, please double-check with the cruise company, but it seems as though as long as your partner doesn't disembark the ship in Morocco, they will not require a visa.

@ Emperor:

What is your friend's nationality? She might not require a US visa, but then she must apply through the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in advance, in order to travel to US Virgin Islands under the Visa Waiver Program.

Hi David, thank you for your reply. My friend is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, and the cruise makes a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's the only US port, all the others are caribbean islands.We do not plan to disembark in San Juan. Please let me know if that's still the case, thank you. Emperor.

Bad news I'm afraid. Double-check with your cruise company, but it looks like -- even if she doesn't disembark the cruise ship -- your friend will require a US visa to transit through San Juan. As she is a national of Trinidad and Tobago, she doesn't qualify for the visa waiver program either. She'll have to obtain a US tourist visa.

Can I please request that if I am wrong about this (i.e. if your cruise company tells you emphatically your friend will not require a visa), that you let me know?

Hi David, I've been reading all your good advice. If you need up to date info on Chinese visas' for cruise passenges please dont hesitate in contacting me. In the mean time if anyone is visiting China on a cruise, You MUST supply your itineray on application. You can find more information and how to apply at www.chinavisabureau.co.uk.

Are you sure about that? This website seems to indicate quite clearly that, as a Taiwanese citizen, they will still require a visa to visit the Bahamas, regardless of whether or not they are studying in the USA.

I called the Bahama Embassy in regards to this question. They said the same thing. When I asked about the studend VISA, they said yes they also require VISA. But then, added...all Taiwanese citizens are requied to have a VISA, but if they don't want to, they can still go.

The students told me that she had gone on a Bahamas curise many times and never gotten a VISA. I guess it is gamble if you are willing to take. I have read many posts on the the internet that Bahams don't check your passport!

HelloWe are a family of 10 living in different parts of the world. Holding Indian Passports. We are on a MSC cruise that ports in casablanca for few hours. We do not have time now for all to get visas for Morocco. Cruise line says need visa. Visa people in India say can get transit visa on arrival. So confusion galore. Please help!

PLEASE check with the cruise company and the consulate again, but I think if you and your family are willing to stay on the ship in Morocco - i.e. you will not disembark in Casablanca - then you won't require a visa.

Hi David,I am holding Pakistani passport and wnated to do a cruise with MSC which Visit UAE staes and 2 ports in Oman, I can arrange visa for UAE states but not for Oman, Can i stay aboard while in Oman, do MSC allow me to board if i don;t have visa for OmanPlease advice

Unfortunately, it's really hard to tell whether or not you'll be allowed to stay on board (without a visa) while the cruise ship docks in Oman. The reason for this is that most visitors will receive their Omani visa while on board the cruise ship.

Is there some reason why this is not an option for you?

I recommend that you contact the cruise line and check to see if you'll be able to receive your visa on the cruise ship or not.

I'm holding a Malaysia passport and will be travelling on MSC Cruise starting from Barcelona, Spain. One of the cruise stop is at Casablanca, Morocco (arrive at 8am and depart at 10pm on the same day) and I just realized that I need tourist visa. I do not have time to apply for visa now. Can advise if I still need visa issued by Morocco if I continue to stay onboard with MSC without disembarking onto Morocco? Thanks!

I have spoken to MSC cruise line and they have advise me that if I don't have a visa for Oman, I can stay onboard and as I am holding Pakistani passport they can't arrange visa on arrival. It must be obtain before I leave Pakistan.

Another query, I have applied UAE visa and I been told that this is a Single Entry Visa, so if Dubai cruise port stamp my passport for exit this means my visa is finished and if I continue my journey I will have to pay fine.

I have check with MSC and they said they don't stamp our passport but not sure about Dubai cruise port.

Can you please tell me when I board ship from Dubai to go to next port which is Abu Dhabi do they stamp my passport with exit stamp?

This question has been dealt with before in this thread... PLEASE double-check with your cruise company, but my research leads me to believe that as long as you are willing to stay on the ship (i.e. you do not disembark), you will not require a visa for Morocco.

@ Salman:

Thanks for the feedback.

With regard to your second question, this has been a point of contention between cruise operators and UAE tourist authorities for years. The situation has always been that you need to purchase multiple single-entry visas for the different ports of call that you visit in the UAE -- i.e. you must have one visa for Dubai, and then another for Abu Dhabi, etc.

There has been talk of changing this law, to allow cruise passengers to purchase a single cruise visa that allows for multiple entries. I don't think this measure has been formally introduced yet, however.

Please check with the cruise company, but I'd say -- for now -- that you should prepare yourself to organise another single-entry visa for your time in Abu Dhabi.

@ Starzzle: I have been on this itinerary with MSC already. I am holding a Pakistani passport so I have to arrange Schengen visa for that. I have been told by MSC that I can stay on board which was correct. But when I arrives Morocco and asked for visa on arrival they gave me visa for £10.00 because I already had a Schengen visa

Thanks for your reply too! Glad to hear that I can remain onboard if I don't have a visa for morocco. As I do not need visa for the other 3 countries (i.e. Spain, Portugal and Italy) for this cruise, so I did not apply for a Schengen visa. Anyway, I will give it a try to apply for a visa on arrival at Casablanca.

Please double-check with your prospective cruise company, but since the beginning of 2011, Canadian nationals have needed visas to enter the UAE. These must be applied for in advance, and will cost approximately C$170.